


Not different, just special

by RavenWholeheart



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Autism, Autistic Tony, Autistic Tony Stark, Gen, Non-Verbal, Self-Harm, Stimming, good parent Howard, hitting self, loving relationship, repeating, repeating words, use of the r word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:21:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23683804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenWholeheart/pseuds/RavenWholeheart
Summary: The story of how Howard raised an autistic Tony
Relationships: Howard Stark & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 5
Kudos: 244
Collections: Tonystarkhowardstark





	Not different, just special

Steve had been invited over to Howard’s house, after a successful mission with the Howling Commanders. He wanted to talk over the positives of his new drugged body. He had to admit it felt awesome having power that he never had as a small weakling. 

He decided to bring Bucky along, when Howard added last minute he’d also be introduced to his son. He wasn’t the best with people but he figured with Bucky would keep the balance. 

They both decided to leave around 12 and be a little early for the meeting. They made it to the New York mansion in record time. 

“You think this kid will be the mini Howard?” Steve questioned as they walked to the front door. 

“ He’s got half of Howard’s DNA, I’ll be surprised if he wasn’t a clone of his father.”

“True,true.” Steve muttered with a smile. 

They finally reached the front door, Bucky took the chance and knocked twice on the wooden door. It seemed to take a moment, but Steve could hear the faint sound of feet moving in the house. 

The moment the door opened, Steve observed the young boy who blocked the entrance. He was quite short, and was only looking straight down at his own sock clad feet. He didn’t say a word to the two men, his dead didn’t move once from the gaze he seemed intent on keeping with his feet. 

His hair was brown and looked to be fluffy, yet it almost looked unruly, it seemed like it was pulled at quite a bit. 

Steve and Bucky looked at each other as the minutes ticked by and the boy had yet to speak to them. Steve was finally the first one to speak 

“Hello, I am Steve Rodgers, some even call me Captain America. Your father invited me over to have a bit of a meeting. May myself and Bucky over here come in?” 

Steve tried to make eye contact with the small boy, but he still didn’t look up. It seemed introducing themselves was the way to go. After he was done with the small introduction, the boy opened the door to welcome them in. 

The men had never been to Howard’s official house before, just seen him at the base. The house even though big and extravagant, had a homey touch to it. The indoor decor had a sunny, open presence. They assumed to follow the boy, and wasn’t surprised when he led them to a living room. 

The still silent boy, took up the open sofa chair, occupying a blue fuzzy blanket that he draped over his whole body. He didn’t invite them to sit, but they took it as an unspoken offer. 

Steve looked at Bucky, silently raising his eyebrows in question. What should they be doing? Bucky wasn’t exactly helpful with his answer of a shrug. Steve just sighed and decided to just take a leap. 

This time he made sure to ask the boy a question directly. 

“So, I told you my name, can you tell what yours his?” He asked. 

The boy started mumbling but still didn’t answer, nor did he raise his head to answer. 

Steve was determined to get the young boys name, so he tried once again. 

“Your name is?” 

This time he did answer, just not what they were excepting. 

“Your name is?” The boy all but whispered. 

“Yes, what’s your name?”

Again, the boy whispered the response back. 

“Yes, what’s your name?” “Yes, what’s your name?”

Steve caught on quickly that the boy was mocking him. 

“It’s not ok, to just repeat someone’s response back. Can you just answer my question?” 

“Can you just answer my question?” Can you just answer my question?”

Steve looked back at Bucky, crossed arms and frown lines starting to appear on his forehead. 

“You know why you little boy, this isn’t funny. Can you just stop this game and speak like a normal person. Or is that just to much to ask.” 

“Too much to ask, To much to ask.”   
Steve noticed the words he spoken, were put out more forcefully. The boy looked to be curling in on himself more. 

“I told you to stop. Can you not understand me you retard?” Spoke spoke sternly. He did not take any ammount of disrespect. 

The boy still hadn’t responded to a direct question. Instead he started reacting Steve’s words back again. 

“Retard. Re reetard.” 

Bucky wanted outed if this conversation. It didn’t feel right, especially with the boy still muttering that’s word. He didn’t have to worry much longer, as that was the moment Howard walked in. 

He had a smile on his face looking at the men, he looked about to speak, until he looked over and saw what his son was saying. 

He quickly walked over to the chair the boy was occupying and through the blanket off. 

“Hey, hey, hey. Tony. We don’t not say that word ever. And we don’t hurt Tony do we?” 

He grabbed onto Tony’s fists, and held them between his. That seemed to stop the boy from the punching of himself.

Tony’s hands still flailed, he still muttered “retard, retard”. He still continued to break free of his fathers hold. 

Howard moves him forward, getting behind him and sitting. He moved Tony onto his lap, and fully restrained him. One arm wrapped around his hands to stop the punching. While the other held his kicking legs. 

It seemed like time stop for all the room. Tony tried and tried to move. His body fighting for his life. All the while Howard held him tightly, and firmly never losing his grip. He rocked them both slowly with predictable movements. 

It seemed whatever this was that just occurred stopped when Tony’s body just laid flat. No longer was he moving, nor was he speaking. 

Howard let go slowly of his arms, which no longer was pushed into Tony’s side. Instead they twitched every few seconds. 

Howard sighed caressing Tony’s hair lightly. 

“How are you feeling sweetie?”  
Tony didn’t appear to be answering. All that could be heard was a humming, buzzing noise coming from his mouth instead. 

“Not up to talking are you?”

Again all that was said was a humming noise. 

“That’s alright, could you write in your notebook for me?” He asked. As he looked around the chair, he pulled out a spiral bound notebook and a pen setting them both down near Tony. 

Tony hands still tingled, but he took both items and started to write, right after the last page he wrote on. He couldn’t miss a page, that was out of order. 

He began to write, in what could only be described as chicken scratch. It was slanted words mixed in with lighter and darker tones. The words got bigger or smaller depending on nothing. 

He finished writing after a few minutes before placing the items back next to Howard.   
He ignored the pen for now, instead picking up the notebook and began to read. 

Answered door like the rules say. Look out window, if you know whose at the door open. Didn’t know them, but Howard told Tony earlier his friends were coming. Described men to Tony. Opened door for them, but wouldn’t come in. Finally gave up and came back to Tony’s chair. Tony wasn’t told had to talk to friends, just to open and let them in. Wasn’t in the rules that gave. Started to feel to much, was bad boy. Didn’t know the rules. Bad Tony. Felt to much. Too much. 

That was the end of Tony’s explanation.   
“ Honey, you can’t hit yourself. It hurts you and I don’t want you in pain. You were not a bad boy. It was my fault for not giving you more of a structured schedule. Some rules to follow to help you. Not your fault.” 

Howard rubbed Tony’s arm slowly.   
“Thank you for explaining that all to me. I’m proud of you. Now it’s 1:00 so Jarvis should be here for your scheduled lunch.   
“Will you be ok?”

Tony finally spoke up again, if any other reason to prove to his dad. 

“Will you be ok? It’s 1:00 that’s lunch time. On schedule.” Tony spoke after repeating what his other told him first. 

Howard chuckled.   
“Of course silly me.”

“Silly you.” Tony repeated. 

There’s a brief moment of transfer as Jarvis walked into the living room. 

“Ready for lunch Tony?” He asked but clearly wasn’t waiting for a response. He walked up to Tony pulled his arm gently and got him moving in to the kitchen. 

Howard smiled slightly at his son and Jarvis. He met Jarvis’s gaze as if to say, thank you for all your help. We have to talk later about this.   
Jarvis himself just smiled and nodded. He started monologue to Tony, asking him what he wanted for lunch as if he didn’t know. It was Thursday, Thursday’s were grilled cheese day. 

His happy smile did disappear as his gaze shifted to the men sitting on the couch. 

“Who called my son the r-word? Hm because that truly is not ok.”

Steve sheepishly responded, “ I’m sorry Howard he just kept repeating me. I thought he was making fun of me. Or that he possibly could be a retard.” 

“Don’t keep saying it! Never even say that word again. I mean it Steve. Tony is autistic and their is nothing wrong with that. It just means he learns differently then all of us. I won’t tolerate you using that word to ever describe Tony or anyone.”

Steve didn’t really have a comeback to that. Just looked down and nodded. 

Bucky managed to ask a question, “autistic, what does that mean?”

Howard sat down on the ledge on the chair Tony had just occupied. He rubbed his hand over his face, then tousled his hair. 

“It’s just the way he was born. He’s still smarter then anyone I know. Even me especially me sometimes.”

“I understand that he’s not stupid, but what is autism and what does it mean to Tony.” Bucky asked the question again. 

“It’s basically a development disorder. It impairs with his ability to communicate and interact. That’s why he didn’t look up at you. He doesn’t do eye contact. He does seem ok when he’s looking at my forehead when talking. It’s also why he did start repeating the words Steve said. He uses that as a base to jump off of. But if he can’t get his own words out, he just repeats and repeats.” 

“Why did he punch himself?” 

“He was trying to force out words, but it’s to much for his body sometimes. He said to me once his whole body twists and turns in all directions.” 

“Does he hurt himself a lot? Why were you holding him down?”

“ he’s capable of self-harm when he gets upset and over stimulated. I was holding him down to calm him, while also making sure he didn’t hurt himself anymore.” 

“Can he talk?”

“He does talk, he’s come such a long way from when he was born. He has trouble thinking and getting the words out. That’s why I have him write out all what he wants to say first. Usually we have him repeat it out-loud after.”

“The 1:00 lunch thing?”

“When I found out Tony was autistic, and went to countless doctors. They told me a schedule would really help, it would help maintain a balance within himself. Everyday we have a schedule, that Tony makes sure to follow.”

Bucky seemed to have run out of questions, mulling over what Howard said to him. 

“I’m sorry Howard, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I was raised, and no one thought twice before saying that word. It’s just how we described people.” Steve said finally looking up. 

“ I know you purposely didn’t mean to insult him. Just don’t let it happen again, I’m not going to walk in here again and here my son be repeating that word to himself.”

“I understand, should we get to the meeting now?” 

“Actually I’m going to go meet up with Tony. I need to make sure he’s ok. I rather him be stimming and using gentle hands rather then hitting himself.” 

Steve actually looked like he was going to argue with that, before Bucky butted in   
“Of course, be with Tony, but what’s stimming?”

“Oh it’s just repetitive motions that he does. Rocking back and forth. Playing with his fingers. Even fiddling with anything his hands can get on. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got Tony to talk to.”

Steve and Bucky took that as the dismissal that it was. They got up and left the house as quickly as they got there.


End file.
